Logo TV announced Brooklyn Nets’ Jason Collins and the Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black as honorees to their inaugural award show Trailblazers, premiering June 26. They join previously announced honorees Edie Windsor and Roberta Kaplan, who are being recognized for their historic lawsuit striking down a section of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which resulted in federal recognition of marriage between same-sex couples.
Jason Collins will be honored for becoming the first openly gay athlete in the NBA. Cast members including Laverne Cox will be accepting the honor for the groundbreaking series Orange is the New Black, which received the GLAAD Media Award earlier this year for Outstanding Comedy Series.
You can win a trip to Trailblazers and share the night with special guests including Ariana Grande, Rita Ora as well as Tegan and Sara by sharing a photo of a local hero who has made a difference in your life with Logo on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram or Vine using #HometownTrailblazers!
Trailblazerscelebrates individuals who have had a profound impact on the community and are making great strides towards equality for LGBT people. The event will also focus on “Trailblazing Youth,” highlighting four young leaders tied to The Trevor Project who embody the power of activism and who are making an impact in their communities.
The young leaders include Jazz, a GLAAD Spirit Day ambassador and founder of the Transkids Purple Rainbow Foundation offering advice, support and resources for kids who struggle with gender identity; Cason Crane, founder of the Rainbow Summits Project; Jordan Scruggs from Chattanooga, Tennessee, who created a directory of Tennessee’s LGBT-inclusive churches and was recently appointed State Director of Marriage Equality for Organizing for Action; and Adam White, who helped put LGBT issues on the forefront at Brigham Young University, leading the university’s underground Gay-Straight Alliance and It Gets Better campaign on campus. Actor Daniel Radcliffe will be presenting the award to these brave young pioneers.
Other announced appearances include gay college athlete Matt Kaplon, musicians Tegan and Sara as well as Against Me!'s Laura Jane Grace, and former NFL player and Executive Director of You Can Play Wade Davis. Previously announced presenters and performers include Jared Leto, Kylie Minogue, Ariana Grande, Rita Ora, Iggy Azalea, Tyler Glenn of Neon Trees, Mary Lambert, and A Great Big World.
The one hour special will air June 26 at 9:00pm ET/PT from New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the week of the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling granting federal recognition to marriages between same-sex couples.